Old Battle Aftershock, New Love War
by IvoryxIce952
Summary: After a dream about Fred's death, Hermione grows closer to him, he's like a brother to her, but she also grows close to an unexpexted Slytherin hottie, Draco Malfoy! Why is he being so nice to her? Sucky summary I know but its good I promise, love.


**Disclaimer: I only own the plot and the character "Madame Rallion"**

**_Hermione POV_**

_'**I ****peered down and in the shallow red-wood case lay my dear friend**_

**_His limbs appeared cold as ice and as lifeless as a fallen tree,_**

**_His face powdered with artificial features and his green eyes forced forward .I remembered when his complexion was warm and his eyes were sparked alive, When he laughed and his dimples popped like a child's, happiness radiated off him like the rays of sun. But not now, Not when he could no longer smile, Not now when he could no longer laugh, Not now, He didn't even look like himself, A fake distant eyed puppet was all he was now. . I touched his arm , his skin as icy as his appearance. It didn't feel real. It felt like frozen rubber. I moved my hand to his head, his dark cherry red hair had dimmed and died along with him himself. I felt something pulling me back away from him. Like a vacuum sucking me out of a nightmare.'_ **

I opened my eyes and they fluttered by themselves, adjusting to the light. I realized the light was coming from several wands. I looked around Harry, Ron, Ginny, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, George, Luna, Bill, Neville, even Draco were there for some reason. These faces hovered above me and I soon noticed I was lying down. Rather comfortably I might add despite the fact we were in a destroyed corridor. Pain pulsed steadily through my left arm. And warm liquid ran down from my elbow. It was blood, my blood. It hurt but my arm soon was being tended to by a distraught looking nurse. Wait someone was missing. I struggled to move my head. Where was Fred? The last time I saw him was in fact in a nightmare. I needed to know he was okay that by some merciful magic he was not dead and I would not have to look at his dead face for real this time.

"Is she gonna be okay?" A familiar voice asked pointedly at the witch clearly trying to focus on mending my arm while searching for stray hexes ready to dodge them.

"She should be f-fine." The nurse said nervously. I now identified her as Nurse Rallion. She was fairly well trained at mending broken bones but I couldn't say how she was with such large wounds such as a gash as gruesome as mine seemed to be. I successfully kept my arm still while turning my head enough to see the other half of the Weasley twins. He smiled down at me, reassuringly and I tried to keep my composure, my arm felt as if it was on fire. But I forced myself to smile back at him. I knew Fred from his brother. From their eyes. Fred always looked more mischievous but you could see kindness behind them. They also were a slightly more intense shade of green. George's eyes were just as guilty looking but humor overpowered every other emotion.

"Hermione everything's fine, Fred will take you back to the burrow…If you would like Ginny could assist him" Mrs. Weasley quickly fixed her sentence. Her motherly face showed her concern. I attempted to speak for the first time since I woke up "okay. Thank you Mrs. Weasley" I said in a low voice as a precaution. She smiled and her face crinkled up in her most motherly of grins. But something dangerous lurked in everyone's reassuring appearances. Something I couldn't place. Worry, Anxiousness, what it was I couldn't tell..

Fred had apparated Ginny and myself back to the burrow after Madam Rallion finished stitching up my arm. The unpleasant feeling of apparating lifted off my chest and released my lungs. I was strong enough to walk. With Ginny's help of course, I moved into the warm and inviting living area and sat down on the old couch. Fred removed the ottoman from its spot and carefully placed it under my feet "Can I get you anything Hermione?" He said kindly. "No thanks, Fred, but do you mind telling me what happened?" His face flinched in a split second grimace as if he was fighting off an unwanted flashback. "One of Snape's Sectum Sempra curses bounced back and affected you, your lucky it was just your arm" he said relieved. I was indeed lucky, I thought to myself. "I must have lost a lot of blood since I fainted?" He nodded slightly. Shot a look at Ginny and set off into the kitchen. Ginny sat down next to me and flicked on the TV that Mr. Weasley insisted on fixing for the pure fascination with muggle objects. The one question burning in the back of my mind was trying to push its way through my mouth.

As we were all silently watching an old quidditch tournament it finally burst out. "Are they going to let me go back?…and fight I mean, I'm perfectly able, I only cut my arm." Fred looked at me "Mione I don't think so, Mum didn't even want you and Ginny there in the first place." "But I want to fight Fred! I cant just sit here and pretend like this battle isn't happening. Not knowing first hand whether or not my friends die!" He glared back at me "Hermione, Your practically family and if anything happened to you I would blame myself for being so dense as to let you go back and fight.!.. If that hex was meant for you Hermione you would have died tonight. End of story. Your not going back" Fred had never been so angry…ever I couldn't fight with him. He was like a brother to me and he's just being protective. And then it hit me "Fred?" The change in my tone made him look at me with concern "What's wrong?" A tear rolled down my face at the thought of losing one of my best friends "Are you going back?" Ginny put her hand on my shoulder as a comfort. "I have to go back, I'm much more experienced with spells then you are, you may be the brightest witch Hermione but experience counts." He said preparing to convince me that he had to leave. "I have seven years worth of it, and I have always intended on using it for something great, please if you must go take us with you.?" I said not letting my voice crack. Making this request sound as convincing as possible. He looked as if he was seriously considering it. "If I take you, you have to promise not to do anything stupid and stay with me at all times. Got it?" I smiled victoriously and nodded "Mum will be angry." Ginny finally spoke. "Mum…will get over it." Fred said

There really was no safe place to apparate and we wouldn't know where it was located even if there was. We landed in Dumbledore's office. And hurried through the corridors, wands at the ready. The paintings had all vacated there frames. Hexes, and curses and spells were flying everywhere, the majority of them successfully hitting their targets. Occasionally I would look down to see a familiar face. No one I really made the time to get to know but still made me sad and pained to look at them. "Back so soon mud blood!" said a screeching unpleasant voice. Bellatrix Lestrange. "You touch one hair on her head and I'll-" "You'll what?! Blood traitor! Hex me? Go on try!" We all pointed our wands at her. And her crazed look intensified, "Stupefy!" Ginny yelled clearly not wanting to prolong the un needed suspense. "Nice, Ginny!" Fred yelled and we hurried even faster.

We turned a corner and "Ron!" I yelled involuntarily and hugged my friend in fear of losing him. "Hermione, what are you doing here? Mum will be furious." My eyes widened as what he said finally sunk in Fred came to my rescue "She was persistent Ronnie, I had to let her come" "No you didn't! She could die, so could Ginny, you half wit!" "I'll protect her I promise" Ron huffed but realized his brother wouldn't take them back now nor would the girls agree to go back. "Fine", Ginny hugged her brother as well "Where is everyone?" "We all took different directions. But we should let them know you're here." I shot a nervous look to Ginny and she returned it with a comforting pat on the back. "Ron, if Mum knows just now she'll make Fred take us back for sure." Ginny said reading my mind. "She's right Ronnie." Fred agreed. He sighed he didn't like everyone being against him. He nodded with a grunt and turned another corridor.

Neville and Luna were there trying to fight off two death eaters. "Reducto!" Ginny yelled and the two death eaters were blasted back. "Hermione, you're back" Luna said her usually calm, airy voice. I nodded "Luna, Neville." Ginny looked as if she was trying to refrain from asking a question, but decided just then that she must know. "Luna, where's Harry?" She opened her mouth to speak but someone else answered "Potter's been in the forbidden forest for hours" I turned to see a tall, blonde boy with piercing grey/silver eyes. He wore a torn black suit and a tie with his house colors on it, Green and Gold. "Draco? How would you know where Harry went?" I asked confused. He gestured towards Ron "Weasleby's Dear Mum paired me up with Potter we were supposed to go fight near Hagrid's hut" I gasped internally "What happened Malfoy?" He smirked "What happened to Draco?" I glared desperately at him he sighed "He told me to stay back, said he needed to take care of some business in the forest. Poor git." "And you didn't go after him!" I yelled right in his face. He smirked again. How could he possibly find any of this funny.

He must have noticed my incredulous expression. "Relax, Granger, I came to get everyone so we could go back together, I'm not stupid enough to go in there by myself." Well, that did make sense, and at least he didn't call me mud blood. "Fine, whatever. Let's go" someone grabbed my arm and I attempted to yank it away but couldn't get free. It was Malfoy. "Cant go back now Granger, he's too far in and I couldn't find anyone when it could have made a difference, besides he told me he had to go by himself." Everyone sighed this time. "Malfoy can I have my arm back now?." I said in a monotone He looked down and let go. No apologies but I didn't expect as much, Not from Draco Malfoy. I rolled my eyes. "I don't care how long he's been in there, I'm going to go look for him." "Me too." Ginny said, obviously wanting to make sure, the one she fancies was safe. Ron, Fred, Luna, and Neville nodded in agreement. This time Draco rolled his eyes "Of course, mustn't let people think you Gryffindors aren't brave enough to go get yourselves killed, you can be brave without being stupid." He said flicking his eyes over to me for a split second. We started walking, me towards the front behind Ginny. I felt someone staring at the back of my head. I tried to see who it was without letting them know but I couldn't , whoever it was had turned their gaze. It made me blush, which was awful considering the predicament everyone was in.

It was difficult to make it to the forest without being seen but finally we got there we were about two or three hundred yards away, when Voldemort himself stepped out of the trees with a horrible smirk on his face. Behind him came his minions and a few death eaters followed by Hagrid who was carrying something limp, I tried to see the lifeless face so I was horrified when my feet started moving of their own accord towards the man who murdered so many. I made a conscious effort to stop but found that curiosity overpowered intelligence, Though it was snapped back when someone caught my arm "Granger what the bloody 'ell are you doing?" "Thanks Malfoy." He looked confused but I waved it off.

I squinted into the dark and what I was told coupled by the glasses and clothes I realized Harry's body was being carried by a distraught and crying Hagrid. I felt my own tears, quiver in my bottom lid and rush over like waterfalls. Everyone seemed to catch on quickly, some cried some just stared unbelieving. I didn't notice anything else that was happening. Then I heard gasps, and I looked to the left of Harry, where the great snake Nagini also lay limp, with Neville wide eyed and incredulous. He had just killed the last Horcrux.

Everyone was ushered into the Great Hall, as Voldemort stared angrily at the dead snake. A battle began to engage in this room as well, unforgivable curses zooming over our heads, wizards from both sides had perished, and to everyone's full relief, and Neville's disappointment for not having done it himself. Mrs. Weasley had killed Bellatrix Lestrange. George High fived his Mother. Voldemort and his followers were soon and expectedly apparating in one by one. I stared as Harry's body lay helplessly on the cold marble floor. Voldemort immediately launched into a monologue. And a few minutes into it, A miracle happened, Harry stood up!. He wasn't dead! I don't know how but I was so relieved, that is until he and his almost murderer started circling each other. "Avada Kadavra!" "Expelliarmis!" Harry and his bright ideas, how could he cast something as amateur as a disarming spell. But being Harry Potter he must have a plan. He had surprised Voldemort by telling him in length that it was Harry in fact who wielded the elder wand and not him. Harry's spell was pushing his back and with a complete shock Voldemort's spell had back fired and the Horrid wizard fell dead.

Everyone was silent and then burst into cheers and excitement. But I, thinking ahead said "What will happen now that Voldemort and…D-Dumbledore are dead?" It came out before I could register how some people close enough to hear would be effected. And Mr. Weasley looked over at me "I suppose now that V-voldemort is dead, as well as our great head master, Snape will take over and everyone will go back to school, The ministry has surrendered and agrees to help us re construct the parts of the school that need it. Which is being worked on as we speak, it wont take long believe it or not Hermione with so many talented wizards at it, it should be done within a few weeks." I couldn't understand how that was possible nor how anyone could go back to school and have it return to normal, but I guess shock needed to be shooed out of our lives as soon as possible, and I couldn't agree more to my surprise.

(Hope you like it! Please review!)


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